Former Reeders pastor Schirmer arraigned in murder of first wife

The former Rev. Arthur "A.B." Schirmer, awaiting trial for the murder of his second wife in Monroe County, was arraigned Wednesday on charges of murdering his first wife in Lebanon County.

The former Rev. Arthur "A.B." Schirmer, awaiting trial for the murder of his second wife in Monroe County, was arraigned Wednesday on charges of murdering his first wife in Lebanon County.

Schirmer, 64, is charged with murder in the April 23, 1999, death of his first wife, Jewel Schirmer, 50.

Arthur Schirmer is already awaiting a January trial on murder charges in the 2008 death of his second wife, Betty Jean Schirmer, when he was the pastor at Reeders United Methodist Church in Jackson Township.

The charges against Schirmer in Jewel's death resulted from a grand jury investigation that began after Schirmer was charged in 2010 with Betty Jean's murder, Lebanon County District Attorney David Arnold said when Schirmer was charged in late September.

Schirmer is charged with killing Betty Jean and faking a crash to cover it up.

Schirmer had told officials that his first wife, Jewel, had fallen down a flight of stairs.

She died the next day in Hershey Medical Center in Dauphin County.

Patty Garber, Dauphin County chief deputy coroner at the time, found evidence of Jewel Schirmer having suffered a heart attack at the time of the fall, said John Leahy, chief detective in the Lebanon County District Attorney's Office.

Forensic pathologist Wayne Ross' autopsy found evidence of a traumatic brain injury consistent with a fall down steps or contact with a blunt object. Ross ruled the manner of death as "undetermined," not having seen Garber's report at the time, Leahy said.

However, DA Arnold said that the results of a biomechanical engineering firm's test showed that it was not possible for her to sustain such fatal injuries in a fall.

A preliminary hearing in Jewel's death is scheduled for Dec. 11 in Lebanon County.